Celtic manager Martin O'Neill tells Premier Sports he has the "same fears, same excitement, same everything" as he prepares to take charge of yet another Glasgow derby.

On his team selection, O'Neill adds: "[Goalkeeper] Sam Johnstone has never played an Old Firm game so it's a chance to soak up that atmosphere. Viljami Sinisalo has been excellent since he took over from Kasper Schmeichel. Just a bit of competition for places.

"I thought Sebastian Tounekti played very well the other evening. We didn't get on the end of some of the things he created for us. Seb deserved the opportunity to start the game.

"No fans whatsoever in the stadium. For us it's a matter of sticking together, being as strong as possible both mentally and physically and trying to win the game."

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Andy Halliday
Former Rangers midfielder on Premier Sports

For me, Olwethu Makhanya has been Rangers' best signing. He's developing a good partnership with Emmanuel Fernandez and sometimes goes unnoticed just because he does all of the basics so well.

Sam Johnstone has four caps for England, keeping a clean sheet each time.

At 33, the on-loan Wolves keeper has plenty of experience under his belt, but he must have a few butterflies before this big game.

It will be the same at the other end, even if Ivor Pandur is settled in the Rangers team and played in last season's Premier League play-off final for Hull City at Wembley.

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This is game number 12 as Rangers manager for Derek McInnes', who only experienced one derby as a player for the club.

Martin O'Neill is preparing for his 29th Old Firm tussle.

Both sides were in action on Wednesday and both had their struggles before coming up trumps.

Rangers needed a stoppage-time goal from Bojan Miovski to get the better of St Mirren after a rather ragged second half display.

Celtic also won 1-0 thanks to Mika Baur's strike at St Johnstone but were far from convincing in Perth.

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Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers tells Premier Sports: "It’s a big game. We need a good performance to get through and that’s what we’re planning to do.

"The last few weeks have been pretty good so we just want to build on that.

"I missed a lot of last season through injury which was annoying, but it was good to get a good pre-season under my belt.

"Most of us have played here with no fans before so it’s something we’re used to. It’s a shame but we’ve done it before and we’re used to it."

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Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez tells Premier Sports: "The main thing is staying together and sticking togethering throughout the game.

"We know Celtic’s threats it’s about being a team and stopping any opportunities for them.

"It’s a derby, it’s a big game. Players know we need to be at our best to win the game but the manager gives us the trust and confidence to go out there and do that."

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It's going to be helluva loud at kick-off time but there won't be any Celtic fans singing since there's a ban on away supporters for this game and the four league derbies to follow.

It's happened before. This time it's from the fall out from the Scottish Cup meeting at Ibrox in March, which was marred by unrest, with pitch incursions from both ends.

Both clubs must play their next home Scottish Cup games behind closed doors.

Sam Johnstone keeps his place in goals for Celtic after making his debut in Wednesday's victory at St Johnstone.

As expected, Benjamin Nygren and Camilo Duran return, along with Kieran Tierney. However, it's maybe a surprise to see Haissem Hassan make way, with Sebastian Tounekti retained. That is presumably to accommodate Duran moving to the right.

Liam Scales is preferred to Auston Trusty as the left centre-back.

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One change for Rangers from the midweek win over St Mirren as Kim Min-su takes over from Badredine Bouanani.

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Rangers have gone two seasons without silverware but remain the most successful club in this tournament with 28 wins.

Celtic have lifted the League Cup seven times in the past 10 campaigns although they missed out last term, losing the final to St Mirren.

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There are a few players experiencing this fixture for the first time.

In the blue corner; Ivor Pandur, Olwethu Makhanya, James Penrice, Dan Neil, Kevin Kelsy and Kim Min-Su.

In the green corner; Camilo Duran, Mika Baur, Colby Donovan, Kasper Hogh and Sam Johnstone.

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Rangers: Pandur, Sterling, Fernandez, Makhanya, Penrice, Raskin, Neil, Min-Su, Naderi, Gassama, Kelsy.

Substitutes: Kelly, McCrorie, Godfrey, Dragojevic, Devlin, Curtis, Chukwuani, Bouanani, Miovski.

Celtic: Johnstone,Donovan, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Tierney, McGregor, Baur, Nygren, Duran, Hogh, Tounekti.

Substitutes: Sinisalo, Lotomba, Trusty, Hassan, Sorensen, Oxlade-Chaberlain, Forrest, Murray, Mheuka.

The first Old Firm derby of the season is upon us, with a Premier Sports Cup semi-final spot on the line at Ibrox.

Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs have already booked their places, so who will join them for the draw at full-time today?

Celtic have a perfect domestic record to protect, while Rangers are on a run of four successive wins after a sticky start.

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